Troubles Of Our Own
by The One With A Name
Summary: Stripped of the peace of mind of his small hometown, a young swan joins a Cornerian army unit early in the first Lylat War with a distinct goal: to kill one man. Bonds are made and broken as tensions rise for one soldier in the war that changed Lylat.
1. More Than A Feeling

Author's Notes: Wow, I guess this is my first real story attempt besides that crappy one that I wish I didn't do. I could still delete it, but I'd rather keep it in existence as a reminder of why I need to improve. So, where to start? A story about an OC, but this guy's a little different. Every OC I've seen seems to have something to be pissed about all the time, so I'm gonna do something different and have an OC who's still mad, but not quite as, um, dark. Anyway, I've been trying to work out how to start this forever, but I guess there's nothing for it now. Here it goes. I had an idea about a little gimmick for the story that involves associating a song with each chapter (I got the idea from Obsidian Thirteen's fic "Hero") and throwing bits of the lyrics into the chapter at random. We'll see how that works out. Oh, and by the way, I own almost everyone in this story, except for General Pepper, the members of the Star Fox unit, Emperor Andross, and a few other canon characters. They belong to Nintendo. Also, I make a few switches to third person in situations that don't involve the main character, but it's still being told by him as sort of a narrator. Just bear with me and critique in the reviews, please.

The song for this chapter is "More Than A Feeling" by Boston.

**TROUBLES OF OUR OWN: A WAR STORY**

By Viroxor

It wasn't the sun that broke the blissful darkness of my slumber. It was a sharp rapping at my window. When the first unwelcome sound came, I seemed to simply turned over but continued to ignore it. The second and third ones it seemed I pretended I never heard at all. It wasn't until a fourth, heavier one came that I, a boy in my early twenties, opened my eyes and swung my legs over the side of my one-person bed with an exasperated sigh, obviously irritated at my inability to sleep through the knockings at my window, _on the second story._ That could only be one person. Who else would come to see me?

I walked to the window gracefully, as is the nature of all our kind, and opened it. My room was pretty nondescript, plain brown walls being ordinary except for the posters for different types of bands on some of the walls. Down below, I could clearly see the smiling face looking up at me. I reached over to a stereo just to the right of the mid-sized window and pressed a button, causing some soft but lively jazz music to begin playing. It soothed my soul, although I felt there was little that could ever bring me more pleasure than her. Serena Albany. Everything about her from the gentle, delicate curves of her body to her angelic voice to her attitude and just the way she carried herself-I loved all of it. Despite how many years I'd known her, I could never get my fill of her. She was everything I wanted. And now she was shouting to me as loud as she possibly could without the risk of waking the denizens of the small town. In other words, pretty softly.

_I looked out this morning and the sun was gone  
Turned on some music to start my day  
I lost myself in a familiar song  
I closed my eyes and I slipped away_

"Louie! Come on, we're gonna miss everyone going to the concert!" Yelled the angel to me. _Damn!_ I thought. _We're going to the Revolvers and Violets concert today! I forgot! _Revolvers and Violets was a popular rock band that all the young people in the town had been listening to for a while. They were playing a concert in nearby Hartman City, named after a figure from Katinian history. Everyone was driving out there to see them. Originally, I hadn't been planning on going, since most of the 'kids' (although they were grown up) didn't know me that well, and it would be awkward. It's not like I was a total recluse or anything, I talked to people, but I didn't know them too well. Except Caleb. And he could hardly be called a friend. Caleb and I had been at odds since we were small children, mostly because we were constantly competing for Serena, which, although never stated, had always been the case.

It was Serena who had invited me. Of course she was going. Serena was beautiful and intelligent, the envy of everybody. Everyone loved Serena, she had always been well-accepted by everyone. In fact, her friendship with me was probably the reason everyone was so comfortable with me coming. They were actually pretty cool people. I just hoped they'd get the same impression of me.

I swiftly strode over to my dresser and threw on some real pants and a white T-shirt with a navy jacket, then opened my door and descended the stairs, arriving in the kitchen to see mom fixing breakfast and dad leaning casually on the counter. I still lived with my parents, as almost everyone my age in the town did, not because of any particular inability, but more because Katina had been going through some rough times recently, and a place to stay was incredibly expensive, especially in one of the bigger cities like Hartman City. The only one bigger on Katina was the capital city, Katina City. It was massive, although nowhere near as big as the capital of neighboring Corneria. After saying a quick goodbye to mom and dad, I opened the door and hopped outside with a grin, prompting Serena to playfully punch me in the arm.

"Dork! You almost slept in. We're leaving in a few minutes. Your feathers are a mess." She said, quickly ruffling the feathers on my head that acted as hair. Her touch was soft and gentle, like everything about her.

"What would you do without me, Lou?" She asked jokingly.

"I think I could fare just fine." Came the good-humored reply, although I clearly knew it was a bold-faced lie. I could never live without Serena.

--

The drive over was eventful, to say the least. I drove Serena and two of her friends, Abby and Nick. There were four other cars as well, each of them being driven by a member of 'the group' as all of us, including myself, had come to be called regularly and containing a good number more in the other seats. If there were any cops on the desolate road between Redrock (the name of our beloved town) and Hartman City, they probably would have sent us all to the slammer for some of the stuff we did. I can't recall any time since that I've had a group switch cars mid-trip_ while_ _the cars are moving_. It was fun, though. I had a few laughs.

The concert was even greater. Revolvers and Violets rocked even better than they had on their debut album, _Appetite for Death._ We were one of the rowdiest groups there. Wow, I couldn't remember the last time I'd had that much fun while listening to GOOD music. Caleb was surprisingly not as antagonistic as usual. Of course, the cronies and slightly attractive harlots that swooned over him were as annoying as ever. Then again, I guess you don't get quite as annoyed at the fangirls when you're a guy. Because I know Serena was having a harder time putting up with them than I was. But unfortunately, Caleb only had eyes for Serena, apparently, just like me. I guess when it came down to it, Caleb and me really weren't very different.

_Its more than a feeling, when I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feeling)  
I begin dreaming (more than a feeling)  
till I see marianne walk away  
I see my marianne walkin away_

--

But the rolling good times were about to get brought to a screeching halt.

The bartender of the town saloon, whose feathers were a little more of an off-white color than most of the others, looked up to see the man walk into the loud and busy place. The burly ape was wearing a big black overcoat, unfitting for a place with as temperate a climate as Redrock. He and a few others watched the man with interest as he came to the bar and requested in a gruff voice "Ale," pointing to a specific bottle on the wall. The bartender nodded and got it for him after accepting payment. The man subsequently took a seat near the wall. Still, the bartender was curious as to what a simian like him was doing in a town inhabited by all avians.

--

The next day

Man, yesterday was a lot of fun. Rumors had been going around about a strange outsider staying at the saloon, but I tried not to worry. My morning today started about the same as yesterday. Serena threw rocks at my window until I woke up. But today, she had something a little different in mind. She suggested we go to the creek. The town was pretty dry, but there were woods nearby, and the creek (really more like a river) therein was usually a popular hangout spot. But today, it was empty, so Serena suggested we go there and hang out. I couldn't think of any question to which I would have responded "Okay, sure" faster.

It was about 2:00 in galactic standard time when we got there after a long period of walking through the woods. Serena acted tough sometimes, but she was delicate, and despite the fact that she seemed to love trekking the creek and the woods, she always ended up getting wrapped up and frustrated. But I guess she loved it anyway because it was our nature to love the outdoors, especially wet areas. We were waterfowl, after all. Anyhow, when we got there, she was already thoroughly exasperated, with a few twigs stuck in her feathers and a lot of effort showing on her face. But in her eyes, it was clear that she still loved it immensely. It's one of the few phenomenons I've never quite been able to explain: Serena and the outdoors.

I was doing okay, though I was obviously a little tired myself. The creek was a sight to behold. The bank they came out on was a sharp drop to the water, though not very far. Exposed roots protruded from the eroded side of the bank, with a few fallen trees laying across as makeshift bridges. Hanging from one of the trees overhead was a rope, which was commonly used to swing across. It was great fun.

"Ah, you got twigs stuck in your feathers!" I exclaimed with a small laugh, looking at her. Even in such a condition, her beauty was still flawless. If nothing else, the struggle and scenery made her look even prettier than usual, a feat I didn't usually think possible. I went to work on removing the intruders from the graceful plumage of a rather embarrassed-looking object of my affections. She protested and gave her share of remarks, but when I was finished, I think she appreciated the favor. After the moment, she walked and sat at the edge of the bank, her legs hanging out over the edge. I walked over and joined her, sitting there next to her. If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was an angel. I think I still did anyway. The way she sat, the way she stared at the surrounding nature and fidgeted with her hair, she was the picture of beauty: graceful, feminine, serene. It was why she was named such, I assume.

_So many people have come and gone  
Their faces fade as the years go by  
Yet I still recall as I wander on  
As clear as the sun in the summer sky_

"Serena, I just want you to know, I appreciate you inviting me to the concert yesterday. It was a blast." I finally got up the courage to say. She looked at me and smiled.

"Even though Caleb was still kind of a dick? No problem. Anyway, thank you for getting me through those thorn bushes back there. And getting the twigs out of my feathers. And for...coming with me out here in the first place. It's, um, it's nice to have company." She said. Then came that moment. She looked at me, I looked back, the feeling was there, the silence, everything about it. It was the time.

So we kissed. It came kind of naturally. It went on for an eternity, for I would have it no other way. I opened my eyes and saw her, looking back at me. In her eyes, I found peace. She was my eternity, and I could have stayed there forever. Maybe I died on the way to that concert. Because everything about this moment was something only found in heaven.

I was happy.

--

Mid-afternoon struck the always busy town saloon. The townspeople chatted away about daily happenings in their everyday lives. All but one. The enigmatic man in the black overcoat grinned. It was now or never. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a metallic object and rose from the spot he had regularly occupied for the past day. Standing at his full imposing height, he bellowed out in his intimidating voice. "Attention, people of this town! Keep your seats, for I have a small announcement!"

And that's chapter one. What do you think? Good? Bad? Ugly? Critique away! I need it in order to improve. By the way, if anybody guesses which band I was referring to with "Revolvers and Violets", I'll use one of their songs for a future chapter.


	2. Land Of Confusion

A/N: Ah man, writing that was surprisingly fun. I think I might get quite a bit of enjoyment from doing this. I just hope it's as fun for the ones reading it. Anyway, now that the romance session is over, it is time for the main plot to begin! I've also discovered that, to my dismay, asterisks don't translate between the original document and the story's final copy, so I can't use those as a divider. Oh, bother. Anyway, I will continue and try to keep a consistent standard of quality. Enjoy! I don't own canon characters, yada yada yada.

The song for this chapter is "Land Of Confusion" by Genesis (more recently covered by Disturbed for you less nostalgic readers).

#

Passion was all that was taking place here. Me, her, the woods around us. It was all there was, the bliss of being totally isolated from the world and it's problems with nobody but her to soothe my troubles. When the embrace finally broke, the moment was slightly awkward. But after a time, she smiled, as I knew she would. I could see it.

"Well, Louie, that was, um, pretty...um..." She was nervous out of her mind. I simply smiled just about as awkwardly as she was and replied.

"Yeah. It's ok, Serena. It felt...good." Good was, of course, an understatement for the feeling I had felt. I put a comforting hand on her shoulder and she seemed calmer. But maybe our moment of raw emotion wasn't between just the two of us after all. In the woods, a figure could be heard coming ever closer to us, breaking through bushes and undergrowth alike. Serena soon heard it as well, and we stood as the figure, no, multiple figures, came into the clearing. It was Caleb, and two of his cronies to boot. Two normal boys, they were just his usual flankers.

"Serena, what are you an' this creep doin' here?" He said, obviously suspicious. She and I looked at each other, attempting to come up with an explanation as Caleb looked on with rising suspicion. But before the confrontation reached a head, one of his cronies tapped Caleb's shoulder as if to remind him of something, a gesture to which the bright red-haired swan nodded. "Serena, listen up. You too, I guess. That weird guy in town, he's trapped a bunch of people in the saloon and wired bombs there. He's holdin' 'em hostage! Serena, your mom, and you, your mom and brother are in there too!" My heart fell at the news. It was like a weight had been dropped onto the top of my head. I couldn't believe this. Serena and I exchanged dumbfounded expressions, disbelieving of this news. "Well come on, let's go!" Demanded my rival. We didn't hesitate.

Mere minutes later, all of us exploded from the woods onto the edge of the town. The town was like in an old western film, it was just a solid road with houses and other buildings lining each side. The saloon would have been easily spotted even if there wasn't a giant crowd gathered in front of it. It was the biggest building in town. We all ran toward the crowd, pushing to get to the front. Like us, the others were all desperately trying to get past the town militia, trying to get to their loved ones being held inside.

_Theres too many men  
Too many people  
Making too many problems  
And not much love to go round  
Cant you see  
This is a land of confusion._

"Let me in! Mom needs me!"

"Sara! God, let me help my baby!"

"Please, please, my grandpa needs help in there, let me in, please!"

But the militia would not hear it. Pushing to the front of the crowd, I tried to talk to the leader of the local militia. Since the official law enforcement were way too far away to be of service in an acceptable time frame, the town militia was organized by the founders of the town to protect it. So, of course, when I finally got to the front of the crowd, I found myself trying to reason with my own father, Argus Swann.

"Dad!" I pleaded, "Mom's in there! We gotta get them out!" I was screaming over the panic. But dad wouldn't listen.

"I'm sorry, son. I want to save everyone in there too, but that man...he won't let anyone get in without some kind of object he's demanding."

"What? What kind of 'object'?"

"Something from the bank. The mayor-" He was briefly cut off by a sharp outburst of cries as the perpetrator appeared at the second story window. Not much of him was visible, as he didn't want to get shot and have his plans ruined. My father, myself, and everyone else glued their eyes to the villain up above.

"Listen up, people! Especially you, mayor! I want that object from the bank! The deepest vault! 2V-L! If my demands are not met within the next three hours, I will pull the trigger on this detonator and everyone in this building will die here today!"

My eyes widened. 2V-L was the vault they had...

"Serena!" I shouted. I needed to find her. Maybe she remembered as well. I looked for her in the crowd, but I couldn't seem to find her anywhere. "Serena!" I repeated. No sooner was I about to give up hope than a hand grabbed my shoulder, but it was too strong to be hers. I turned around and saw it was Caleb. He said something to me, but I couldn't distinguish what it was. There was no time. I may not have liked Caleb, but this time, we had to team up for something more important. I grabbed his shoulder back and motioned toward the woods. It took a minute, but he soon got the message and followed me into the woods.

_Ooh superman where are you now  
When everythings gone wrong somehow  
The men of steel, the men of power  
Are losing control by the hour._

"Alright, songbird. What the hell have you got goin' out here?" He asked, as pushy as ever. I just kept going with him in tow, explaining little bits on the way.

"A long time ago, Serena and me were out in these woods and we found this thing. It was a forgotten tunnel from ages and ages ago that runs under the town and goes right through the deepest level of the bank. I bet if we follow than tunnel, it'll put us out right in that vault he's trying to get that thing from." After hearing the explanation, Caleb went along with it. We both knew time was of the essence.

When we finally arrived at the place, it was still there, just as we had left it all those years ago. Weird, I never thought I'd be coming to this place with just Caleb. I wouldn't ever have thought about that before today. The tunnel on the outside appeared to just be a wood-framed square hole in the ground, kind of like the entrance to a mine, but vertical. After we leapt into it, it soon became apparent that the ground leveled out fast, although when the elevation became steady further in, it was still proceeding at the slightest downhill angle.

We walked for another few minutes until we reached what I was looking for. There, painted in white on the wall of the damp maintenance tunnel was the code, 2V-L. Just like before. This was the vault he was after. The stone wall that comprised the rear part of the otherwise secure vault was insecure and unstable. There were bricks with holes in them, and ones missing altogether.

"Now, how to..." I trailed off, feeling the wall for an insecurity or anything. At least, I was until a shout of "Move!" from behind prompted me to get scarce fast. Caleb smashed into the wall with a steel pipe that had been lying on the floor. The wall shattered piece by piece as he took to it with the piece of metal.

When the obstruction was gone, what lay within greeted the two of us with open arms. Gray, unfeeling stone walls stared us in the face as we gazed upon the room's single occupant. A small package wrapped in cloth sat there, just waiting for somebody to take it. It looked like it had been there for a long time.

"He went through all this just to get this thing?" I said, confused. Caleb was a bit less hesitant. He walked forward and took up the package, shedding the cloth from it to reveal a metallic object with a few openings, which were covered by strong-looking glass of some kind. In truth, it looked like a more advanced car part. Caleb put it in his coat and walked back to the entrance, where I grabbed his shoulder.

"Caleb, that guy went through all this just to get that thing. If he did all this for something that small, do you think we might be unleashing something terrible? What if..." I trailed off for the second time in the last few minutes, still trying to come to terms with my thoughts. I was conflicted, as much as a man can be. But my conflicts were put paid to as Caleb grabbed my shoulder back.

"Listen, Lou-ser. If we don't get this thing up to that guy now, he's gonna kill all our people in that place. I'm going. You gonna try an' stop me?" Said he. With that, I made up my mind. Whoever this guy was, whatever he did with 'the object' probably wouldn't affect us anyway. We ran as fast as our legs would carry us back to the surface. However, when we reached the entrance to the tunnel, we realized that getting back up the dropoff would be a chore. After a few failed attempts, I came up with a plan.

"Caleb, boost me." I requested. At first, he looked bewildered, until he got it. He clenched his hands together and boosted me up to the ground above. Once up, I crouched and prepared to give him a hand up when a sharp uproar in the commotion from the town was heard.

"Just go!" He demanded. I didn't give it a second thought, and bolted off back towards town. When I arrived, it seemed I was almost too late. The people were panicking more than ever. The stranger must have been getting impatient. I needed to hurry. I couldn't get in through the front, for the mayor and the town militia would stop me. I could go in through the back. That was it. I sped off towards the back door of the large inn building.

_This is the world we live in  
And these are the hands were given  
Use them and lets start trying  
To make it a place worth living in._

I found the door surprisingly unlocked. Slipping in through it, I made my way through the kitchen and into the main room. The main room of the saloon was as was to be expected. It was vast and somewhat grand-looking, comprised of two stories. The bottom floor was the main part. Tables were arranged here and there, with a bar beginning on the far right wall (from the entrance) and going all the way left until it hit the staircase. The staircase was arranged against the left wall of the bottom floor and went up to the second story, which contained little. A small landing was at the top of the stairs, but other than that, it was nothing but a ledge circling the main room, and connecting to the different personal rooms above. Now, of course, there were people of the town on their knees all throughout the lower floor.

The door through which I entered was behind the bar. I made my way into the main area through a small section of the counter acting as a door for going to and from the outside. I looked around and tentatively shouted "I'm here! I have the object! Please let everyone go!" All eyes turned to me. The hostages looked at me as they may have at Jesus had it been he who walked through that door. I looked through them until I found who I was looking for, my mom and brother. I walked towards them until a booming voice broke the eerie silence.

"You, boy! Come forth, bring me the object now!" He commanded, the voice coming from the top floor, just at the top of the stairs. I looked and saw him there. He was an ape, complete with sideburns and everything. His black overcoat concealed what surely was an intimidating body structure. In his hand could be seen a shiny metal object, obviously the trigger for the explosives. I cautiously made my way up the stairs toward him before coming to a stark and humbling realization. I didn't have the object. Caleb took it. In the heat of the moment, I had run off, forgetting that I wasn't the one who had it. It's a good thing I had pure white feathers, because if I had anything darker, it would have gone chalk white then and there with the petrification that now filled me. I continued my path up the flight of steps, trying to pretend like everything was ok. When I finally did reach the top, I found the man, about my same height, staring me in the face.

"The object?" He demanded in a gruff voice. I looked at him, absolutely devoid of both thought and action, as my mouth hung open. I began to spout out the word "I" when the other voice spoke from the corner.

"I got it. You after this?" Said Caleb. He was here! But there was no time for relief flooding my heart. Too much adrenaline right now. I smiled as he presented the shining thing to the villain, who gazed at it hungrily, like a meal he had been awaiting for a long, long time.

"That's it! You, boy, give it to me!" He demanded pushily as my rival threw the thing to him. He caught it and smirked as an evil laugh escaped his wicked lips, facing towards me, and away from Caleb. It must have been just what Caleb wanted, for I caught the action he was making. He made the move so hastily that I couldn't process what he was doing at first. In a flash, he pulled the pipe from earlier in the tunnel out from behind his back and rushed the offender. I tried to scream to stop him, but he wouldn't have heard it even if I had had time.

Instead of hitting the man in the back, he did what I guess was the best thing under the circumstances. He aimed straight for the detonator in the man's left hand. He hit it with a sharp cracking sound and the detonator went skidding toward the far wall just before he retaliated.

The events that happened in the next minute or two I don't exactly recall, for it all moved as a blur rather than a fluid event in my memory. All I know is that I joined in the fight afterwards and the militia began to move people out of there. Caleb got disarmed at some point. Apparently, this guy was stronger and more skilled than I, or apparently Caleb, was prepared for. We fought him hard, but our advances just weren't enough. I remember panicking after being knocked from the fight as he made a move toward the detonator. The people weren't out yet! They were still moving them to safety! I also remember that I was too late. The man escaped through the back door I had used to enter.

I don't know how I got out. I might have run, or been dragged out by somebody. It made little difference, because I can still see the horrified faces of the ones left as the man destroyed that building, innocent people and all. That I remember quite vividly. The faces, the wave of heat and sheer force as the building burst into what could have been mistaken as hell itself. Those were the images that burned into my memory as I...I...

I disappeared into darkness.

_I wont be coming home tonight  
My generation will put it right  
Were not just making promises  
That we know, well never keep._

#

Gawd, that chapter was hard to write. Ugh, there was just so much I wanted to get done in this chapter, and the way it came out just felt repetitive and...rushed is the best way to put it. But I did like the way this song fit with the theme of the chapter. That's why I picked it. Overall, I disliked writing this chapter, but I feel the flow might be improved from here on out. This was just to get through an important plot point, and an important point in the character development of our eager young protagonist. Anyway, more reviews, please! I need to know what I can do to make you guys like my stuff more! I need a posterity, and you're the only ones who can give it! Review away!


	3. Bohemian Rhapsody

A/N: So, as I said, I believe the rest of the story should go smoother than the last chapter, so please bear with me. A lot of things sprang up after the completion of the first chapter, so I'm a little more stressed than usual at the moment. I'm attempting to find the time and peace of mind to make this story a good one, and an easy one to read, but it is, much like myself, a work in progress, so again, any advice anybody can give would be great. So, here we go. So everyone knows, I'm suffering from a bit of a lack of muse at the moment, so I'm subjecting myself to lots of music in an attempt to revive it. Hopefully, my muse will return stronger than ever. But I plan to finish this story, muse or not.

The song for this chapter is "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen.

#

My heart is broken into two. The catalyst for this split was none other than the woman I loved. Serena lay before me. But her beauty was invisible now. Now I only saw a shattered spirit, racked with grief, sprawled like a stricken child on the bed in front of me, granted a few hours of sleep only by the tears that had no doubt poured from her. Her mother had died just a few days ago, after all. Serena's mom was one of the unlucky ones who did not escape the ill-fated building prior to the climax of Caleb and I's battle with the enigmatic man. He had overpowered us, there was no way around it, but returning to the matter at hand, Serena looked worse than I'd ever seen her. I had awoken around an hour ago after being in a coma for a few days. In that time, I had spied several of the townspeople in their homes. They all looked like ghosts. But nothing broke me more than her.

The two halves into which my heart was broken were quite distinctive of each other. One half urged me to stay, to comfort Serena and the others who had lost loved ones a few days prior, and be a solace in their time of grief. But the other half said to me that this was futile, that I was the one who would be blamed for those deaths, along with Caleb. I could never be accepted here again, that was what the other half attempted to convince me of. But why, I wondered? Why should I have to choose? This was my home. I had lived here my whole life.

I held the delicate piece of paper in my hand. It told me what I needed to do. I had written it as soon as I woke up. My intent was clear. This was not like many years ago, when my grandparents died. It was different. Those victims did not leave the people of the town, they were taken, taken by _him._ And as long as he roamed, more would become scarred like Serena and the other townspeople. I would not accept that. I knew what I was going to do.

I would become strong, and when I did, I would confront that man. When that time came, he would see me and remember all that he had done, and in those moments, he would know justice. Whether I was ready to kill a man in cold blood, I didn't know. But one way or the other, I would make him regret it.

So until I was ready, I would leave them. They may hurt at first, but in time, they would grow stronger again, as they always did. I was going to miss them. All of them, most of all Serena.

So, with time, I must recover as well.

--

Serena awoke the next morning from yet another dreamless sleep. The feeling of residual shock from the disaster still took it's toll on her, and would most likely haunt her for the rest of her life. She got up and wiped the tears from her face again, but as she rose, she became aware of something at the foot of her bed. Walking to it, she took the old-looking piece of paper in her hands and read it to herself.

"Dear Serena,

By the time you read this, I will be gone. I will have fled to find a path leading to the one who did this. You should know that I've always felt strongly about you, and that I will continue to choose this path until it has been seen through. He devastated our lives, and I will get back at him. I don't know if I will kill him or not, but what I do know is that when all is said and done, justice will be had, or I will be dead, in either case, know that I've loved you for as long as I can remember. Tell my mom I tried, and tell dad that I'm sorry, as well as the other members of the town. Maybe one day, I'll be back. Until then, I'll see you around.

-Signed, Louie"

_Mama ooo,  
Didnt mean to make you cry-  
If Im not back again this time tomorrow-  
Carry on,carry on,as if nothing really matters-_

--

I awoke to the rude jabbing and jeering of the truck driver as he shooed me from the back of his truck. I didn't catch much of what he said, but apparently, we had arrived in my destination, Hartman City, and it was time for us to part ways. After leaping over the side, I shook the hand of the hefty bull and thanked him for his service to me and promptly set off toward the city, the beginning of my great pilgrimage.

The city seemed bigger than I remembered from a few days prior, but perhaps that was more because of the darker nature of my visit this time. I walked until I found what seemed like a suitable place to take a break. That place happened to be a sports bar, but it was a restaurant as well, so I found it a suitable place anyway. Looking at my watch, I found it was around 2:00, a good time to stop for lunch in any case. Stepping away from the busy crowd of people coating the sidewalks, I found myself inside the place. It seemed good enough, not too classy nor too seedy. A number of male middle-class patrons crowded most of the tables, chattering about this and that as they booed, jeered, laughed, and cheered at the multitude of holo-vid screens adorning the room, which depicted various sports events.

One in particular caught my eye. It was, of course, a baseball game occurring in a distant place. The IPBL, or Interplanetary Baseball League, had become one of my most closely followed sports in recent years. I usually didn't care for sports, but I found something about the sport charming, as I always had. The screen in question right now portrayed a game between Zoness and Aquas, my favorite team. Katina had a team, but their baseball team, the Katina Hounddogs, were less than stellar.

_Im just a poor boy,i need no sympathy-  
Because Im easy come,easy go,  
A little high,little low,  
Anyway the wind blows,doesnt really matter to me,  
To me_

As I took a seat, I soon found myself jeering at the screen with the others. My cheers fell into a boo as the Zoness Thunderbirds scored a home run, putting them two points ahead of Aquas. But just as my voice fell, a loud and raucous cheer came from a patron sitting next to me. I looked curiously at the man. I had to lean forward to see past the concubines on either side of the guy, but when he came into sight, it became clearer why he was cheering.

He was a falcon, probably from Zoness judging by his accent. He looked to be in his early twenties or so, same age as me, clearly confirmed by the brilliant, youthful blue shine his feathers gave off in the dim lighting. His beak was narrow, sharp, and lethal-looking, with red feathers adorning the areas around his eyes. The black leather jacket, fingerless gloves, and sunglasses he was wearing made it difficult not to see that he probably knew how to handle himself in a fight, too. Unfortunately, he noticed my curiosity and cast a careless glance in my direction.

"Hey, buddy, your froggy-boy pals from Aquas are gettin' pounded." He said. I blinked. Was he taunting me?

"You've got room to talk. Your bird-brain team didn't even qualify for finals last year."

"Bird brain? Where you from, swanny-boy? 'Cause last time I checked, you was a bird too."

"Glad to see you figured out your animals."

The immature exchange went on for a while more, before the bird of prey, now looking rather irked, received a message on his phone. He pulled it out and took a glance at it, being careful for no-one to see it, and as he did, the arrogant smirk that had constantly been on his face vanished, replaced with a look of concern. He quickly dismissed his two disappointed-looking 'companions' and urgently made his way to the entrance. Before leaving in his hurry, he said something inaudible to the bartender, who, with a curious expression, took up the remote to the vid-screens and switched to the news, much to the chagrin of many of the bar patrons.

I should have expected it, but there it was. I watched closely as images and videos of my hometown flooded the screen, with commentary from several news reporters. Adorning the bottom part of the screen to boot were the words "Venomian Agent Attacks Small Town". That guy was a Venomian? Thoughts and suspicions flooded my brain as I tried to listen to what they were saying. After they reviewed some of the stuff I already knew, including but not limited to me screwing up the whole situation, they showed a photograph of the guy. It was him, without a doubt. I listened intently to what they were saying.

"The perpetrator appears to be 42-year-old Johnathan Phillips, a high-ranking officer in the Venomian military. Unity officials are still debating whether or not this was an act of war by Venom, but it is almost certain that open war will be declared by the end of next month."

So this guy Phillips was the one responsible for everything. He was the one I'd be on the lookout for, in case I got a chance at him. But who was that falcon guy? He sure seemed to get quick word of the news broadcast. I'd have to think about it later, because for now, I was on my way to pay a visit to the local military base. After all, what better way to get at a military officer than joining the opposing army? I would pay back those Venomians, and then some.

_Mama ooo- (any way the wind blows)  
I dont want to die,  
I sometimes wish Id never been born at all-_

--

A swan in a military base wasn't very common. Mostly because of our media image as being feminine creatures. This, of course, wasn't true. A lot of the people I knew back home were some of the most masculine people I knew. Yeah, but we were kind of a rare breed, so most people had never seen a real swan. Most had died out some time ago. Now the only ones lived on Katina and sometimes Corneria. There were also said to be some who lived on the ice world of Fichina, constantly keeping tabs on any activity there like white ghosts. They called themselves "Cygnii Phasmatii", literally "ghost swans" in one of the old languages.

But, in any case, I was at that point invariably a swan in a military base. The Hartman City Unity Army Recruiting Station, but that being the mouthful it was, it tended by the locals to just be called the Recruiting Station. The inside of the lobby was pretty generic for something with such a long title. Silver walls and floors gave it a neo-futuristic look. A few potted plants and some couches adorned the sides of the room, but other than that, the room's only defining feature was the reception desk sitting opposite the entrance to the long hall. A massive number of people waited in the line extending from the desk to the door. And guess where I was in the line.

Sitting in a line like that for so long gives you some serious time to think about stuff. I sat pondering why all these people were showing up to enlist for service in the armed forces. In the times I had been here in the past, it had seemed like a pretty peaceful place. The fact that troops were this in demand was most likely due to Venom's increasingly invasive maneuvers over the past few months and, in a broader scope, years. They had already pounced on several planets on the outer rim of the system, including Macbeth, Titania, and Zoness. Most theorized that it would only be a matter of time before Andross Oikonny, Venom's unscrupulous totalitarian dictator, laid his evil hands on the Lylatian Unity: Corneria, Katina, Aquas, and Fichina. That in conjunction with the Venomian involvement in the attack on Redrock must have meant the Unity needed soldiers now more than ever.

The current occupant of the reception desk, an old, very irritated-looking hound dog, looked at me with a startling lack of interest when after several hours I finally reached the front of the line.

"Name?" Came the simple request. I promptly told him "Louie Swan" which caused what I could have sworn was a wry smile to pass his lips.

"Nice name." He commented sarcastically. I rolled my eyes. Ever since one famous Cornerian pilot had named his son "Fox", it had become a popular trend. What most people didn't realize was that "Swan" was a surname passed down in my family for generations. After that, he asked me my age, height, and prior education. After he entered all my information into the computer at his left, he pointed a thumb toward a door on his right.

"Everything else is through that door." He said. I looked at it. Cold, unfeeling, unwelcoming. But everything else lay beyond it. I had to go through it. I nodded nonchalantly and walked toward the door. As I reached toward the knob, I realized there was no turning back after I passed through here. I pondered it and made my choice. I took the knob and turned it. This was my place in the world.

This was my future.

_Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me,for me,for me-_

#

And another chapter is down. My muse seemed to come back after I finished the first version of the sports bar scene, so this should be getting a little bit better soon. Plus we're getting into the action now, so things should be looking up from here. Come on, I need some reviews, people! Help me out here! I might have to be doing away with the songs for some chapters ahead, as I simply don't have enough songs that fit each situation. I'll keep working on it, though. Thanks to everyone who's read, and to Snake Of The Rose for reviewing! Keep it all coming, or I'll never get better!


	4. Welcome To The Jungle

A/N: Woo! Feeling good about this one. Ah, I appreciate the reviews. They really do provide an incentive to keep going, so the more, the better. In any case, Guns N' Roses is indeed the band referred to (and a good one at that), so, true to form, I shall insert a Guns N' Roses song into a chapter. So, without further ado...

The song for this chapter is Welcome To The Jungle by Guns N' Roses.

#

**2 Months Later**

I stepped into the small cabin on the Corneria City Military Base. It was called a cabin, but it was actually just a small metal shack-like structure with a few bunks set up within. I entered and set down my belongings, which were pretty sparse. I had one bag that contained some spare casual clothes, and in the other hand was a case which held my trumpet, my prized possession. The place looked a little bit cramped, but after some of the quarters I'd slept in over the past two months, it would be nothing to sneeze at. I walked forward when suddenly, a lanky ferret vaulted over the side of one of the top bunks and landed in front of me. I hadn't even noticed him as I had come in. We looked each other up and down. The ferret was wearing a green Cornerian army uniform, just like me. He looked tall and good-natured, with a constant lazy, almost glazed look to his face.

"So you're the new guy, huh?" He said in a laid back accent. "Sarge said we were gettin' another recruit, but she didn't mention you were one of them country folk from way out in the boonies on Katina." I didn't quite like my home being referred to as "the boonies", but the guy seemed likable enough. Looking up at him (as he was an inch or two taller than myself), I replied.

"So, who are you?" I asked.

"Corporal Ricky D. Wilson, Cornerian 31st Infantry Unit. And you?"

"Private 3rd Class Louie A. Swan, and as for unit, I guess it's this one. The 31st?"

"Ha! I outrank you! But yep, this is the 31st, alright. Hey, I'll go get the others!"

I wasn't sure if the others would be as well-receiving as Ricky, but I could surely hope so. After dropping my sparse belongings, I followed Ricky outside, where he called to two other soldiers leaning against a wall, a male feline and a female. He called them by names, and they looked, then walked over closer to us. Ricky introduced me to the two as "the new guy", which prompted them both to look at me in curiosity. The female cat had mostly dark gray fur, with a patch of white at the eyes. She extended her hand to me first.

"A bird, huh? A swan, no less. Anyway, it's a pleasure to have you here, but don't expect much excitement on base, though. We've been waiting for action for a few months to no avail. I'm Emily, by the way. Max, introduce yourself." She said to the other feline, a full-maned lion, giving him a swift elbow in the ribs. After giving her a look of mock hurt, he extended his hand towards me, looking cautious as though I might carry some kind of disease. He eased up after glancing at Ricky and Emily and took my hand firmly.

"Maximilian Leo III, former heir to the Leo fortune." I peered at him. This was the heir to the fortune of the Leos, the wealthy Katinian family? I felt inclined to ask him why he was in the military, and apparently no longer the heir to the Leos' fortune, but thought it a question better saved for later. Emily looked at him and reprimanded him for being so evasive with me.

"Is that all you can say to our new comrade in arms? 'I'm Max and I'm supposed to be rich'?"

"Sorry, Sarge." I became curious at that point. She was a sergeant?

"Sergeant? So you must be the leader of the squad, right?" I said to Emily.

"Wrong. That would be me, private." Said a deep voice from behind me before she could respond. Realizing my commanding officer was here, I quickly threw a salute, as did the others. A tall, lean, muscular otter walked in front of me and looked me up and down, then nodded in what seemed a sort of approval. He had a scar running from the tip of his left ear to his right jawbone, and overall made a very intimidating figure.

"At ease. Avery tells me you were the best boot camp recruit in your batch, so I guess that means you're good for something. But here, you will be subjected to the same tasks as your squadmates. I assume you've been properly introduced to all of them? Sergeant Fitzgerald?" He said, addressing Emily.

"All but Aaron, sir." She responded. The otter sighed irritatedly.

"That damn kid." No sooner had he spoken, however, when another soldier ran up and hastily saluted before quickly explaining himself.

"Sir, Captain Irvine, I was in the bathroom. Sorry, sir!" He said in a rushed manner. He was a bright red-feathered cardinal, with some feathers sticking off his head in a slightly comical-looking manner. The otter captain named Irvine scoffed at the avian.

"Uh huh, I bet you were. You come see me later and I'll have a special job for you." He said to the soldier. He then turned to me. "Private Swan, I trust you've become acquainted with the quarters?" I nodded. "Good. It's getting close to dinner time. Just don't expect much. Sergeant Fitzgerald, show him around." Emily nodded once more as the captain spun and walked elsewhere. The rest of the squad began to walk toward the mess hall when Emily grabbed Ricky by the back of his shirt.

"You're coming with me, too, Ricky. You know the rules. Last newbie always helps tour the new one." She told him. Ricky let out a disappointed sigh.

"Ah, I was so close." Complained the ferret.

_Welcome to the jungle  
We got fun 'n' games  
We got everything you want  
Honey we know the names_

--

"Home cooking, huh?" I commented as I piled some of the mess onto my plate. Emily, who was in front of me, laughed.

"Remember that most of the Cornerian military is made up of canines. Dogs'll eat anything!" She said. Ricky snickered at this comment.

"Hehe. Kind of like that one dog you went out with tried to eat your-"

"Shut up, Ricky!" She cut him off. Laughing, I inquired as to what he was talking about. "Ugh, nothing." She responded. "I went out with this guy once, and...nah, I'll save that story for later." I was curious as to what the story was, but I definitely had a few stories of my own, so maybe there would be a chance to tell them one day.

The rest of the meal was pretty uneventful. Max came and sat down with us, as did Aaron. Max seemed a little pretentious to me, and he seemed like he didn't have the biggest thing for me, either. But he was okay with me, and I guess I would be able to live with him too. Aaron just seemed like kind of a goof. He appeared to be pretty likable, though.

Afterwards, Emily and Ricky showed me some of the other facilities. The only notable ones were the command buildings, where our mundane chores would be carried out, and the bathroom. After the brief tour of the facilities, it was curfew - 6:45, so we returned to the cabin, and I was shown my bunk, right underneath Aaron's. Max and the captain, already soundly asleep (or so it appeared, at least) were already in. Aaron was nowhere to be seen, to which Emily sighed.

_Welcome to the jungle  
It gets worse here everyday  
Ya learn ta live like an animal  
In the jungle where we play_

"Captain's gonna chew him to pieces when he gets here." She said. I looked at Captain Irvine.

"Isn't he asleep?" I asked, going by what appeared to be true. In response, Emily nodded in the captain's direction as an amused scoff came from the burly otter. Maybe he wasn't asleep after all.

--

The next few days went without incident. We did our tasks and jobs around the base, did our routine patrols around the local area. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. But that was the benefit of a peace time. And the time of peace was about get rained out...

/

General Pepper. That's what they called him now. He had been granted the title of High General some time ago now, of course, but it still seemed to move like a blur in retrospect when he thought about the humble origins which spawned him. He sat now in his office, lit only by moonlight from the moderately large (but blasterproof) windows at his rear. Before him stood a six-inch tall holographic representation of the Cornerian Prime Minister, the supreme leader and authority on the superpower planet, on his desktop.

"...An open attack on Katinian soil, loss of communications with the central radar station on Fichina. It is abundantly clear that this is an attack on our great alliance. We must take action, General, lest the next attack fall on our world. It has also become apparent that our worst fears are indeed true. _He _has assumed power and returned for revenge, as we feared."

"With due respect, your excellency, we have no evidence that _he_ is the culprit behind this."

"Are you denying it, Pepper?"

"It's..."

"Enough. We will take decisive action. I want the fleet and army prepared for mobilization. There will be no more sacrifices.

"Please, sir, I implore you to wait until the Unity meeting! Half a week, that is all I ask."

"I refuse to see no action taken."

Pepper pondered for a moment. After a moment, he looked back at his superior.

"Very well. I will send an elite squadron to investigate the radar station. Is that sufficient?"

Now it was the Prime minister's turn to ponder. After another few moments, the reply came.

"I suppose this will be sufficient until the meeting. But a decision must be reached, General. I leave things to you for now."

"Yes, sir."

The hologram of the Cornerian leader disappeared from his vision. General Pepper wheeled his chair back so that he was able to more easily maneuver.

"I assume we'll be that 'elite squadron', then?" Came a voice from a figure in the shadows to the General's left. The General turned his head to look at the man.

"Yes. You will be recompensated. Can you find a technician to repair your ship and investigate the station by the end of the week?"

"I've already got someone in mind. We'll verify your technical difficulties and return here."

"Good. Get going."

The figure nodded and walked to the door of the office, revealing himself to be a vulpine easily no older than 22 wearing a green shirt, combat vest and camo pants with a blaster pistol holstered at his waist. He exited as General Pepper leaned back and sighed. What a day.

#

How about that, huh? I apologize for the extensive length inbetween chapters now, but marching band has begun. Band camp has begun, and things will continue from here. I'm so excited to be back on the field, but I haven't had very much time to update the story. But rest assured, it will be completed, no matter how long it takes. Anyway, our story will now begin to unfold. Nothing much else going on. Man, it was tough to find a song for this chapter. I just couldn't find one I really thought fit well enough. I ended up using said GNR song here, but I wish there was something that fit better. Oh well, no harm done, right?


	5. An Apology To The Readers

A/N: I'm so sorry the story's been on hold like this. I still haven't completed chapter 5 yet. Writer's block combined with an increasing intensity in my everyday life has caused production of the story to be dramatically slowed. I'm working on something else, however, simultaneously. No worries, Troubles Of Our Own will continue as planned. So, instead of the new chapter, what I have is a snippet not taken from, but connected to, the new story. Hope a little bit of suspense will tide over anyone who was reading.

My deepest apologies again. Anyway, here it is.

--

She went to the door, filled with dread. The bastard would be here soon. She didn't honestly know what she could do. It made her queasy now to think about his face, knowing how he had been lying to her all his time. How could he hide something like that? Her disbelief turned to anger. He and his people were making the town, and the lives of so many people, a wreck, completely miserable! How could somebody who was always so sweet do something so horrible? Sure, he was a little arrogant, maybe a bit of a jerk sometimes, but something like that? It just didn't seem real.

She checked her clothes to make sure that in her irritation she had not somehow forgotten anything important. Everything seemed in order. She looked ready to meet with her boyfriend in her apartment, just like any other night. But she knew what she had to do tonight. To bring him to justice. At long last, the ring she had feared came, piercing her senses, just as he would most likely do. He was the only one who could make her feel that way. Like the whole world was filling her at any given moment, propelling her forward through life, ever forward. He was so enthralling, yet...

She answered by opening the door, and, like always, there he stood in his smug confidence, his physique radiantly illuminating the surrounding hallway. His bright blue feathers shone in the light, and his sky blue eyes seemed to look through her rather than at her, as if he may have instantly detected her accusations. He adorned himself in a white sleeveless tank top and blue jeans, making his muscular arms visible. A soft smile grazed her, making her feel even more uneasy. But despite that, she managed to make a convincingly sweet smile as she gazed and greeted him.

"Falco! What are you doing here?" She asked, beckoning him in. He smiled at her.

"Just visiting my favorite little Kitty." He replied, nudging his face up against hers affectionately. As he did, a firm hand came into contact with her midriff. It was an ordinary gesture, but just his touch now made her cringe. This feeling she usually thrived in, of the euphoria whenever he touched her, the warmth and comfort, now made her tense and apprehensive. She took a seat on the couch, where he soon followed suit.

"Where have you been all day, mister bird man?" She asked him, knowing what the answer really was, no matter what he said.

"Ah, nowhere. Just doing some heavy lifting for a friend out in the boonies. How about you?" He replied smoothly, not entirely lying. She felt extreme irritation now. He stayed so cool, knowing full well how much suffering he was responsible for.

"Hm. I went to the office, checked on some things, then went shopping." She calmly answered. He seemed to buy it, moving in closer while whispering exciting words in her ear.

Before a few minutes had passed, the two of them were in the middle of the room, half-dressed, locked together passionately, like two genuine lovers. She ran a delicate finger along his pectorals. Every minute she let the ruse go on, it seemed more and more like she would lose sight of it altogether. The more they touched, the weaker she felt. Already, it seemed her knees would collapse, and instead of falling into his arms, nothing would be there. He would stand over her and know she tried to turn on him. And then he would be gone, forever.

Suddenly, her resolve became absolute. What she did seemed almost subconscious, like she took a backseat while her conscience acted through her body. As she looked once more at his piercing eyes, her knee drove straight into his gut. The avian winced, but only momentarily. He pushed her to the far side of the room and reeled in surprise. He looked up at her as she frantically reached around the counter, trying to find something to use.

"Katt? What are you-" He didn't finish as she rushed him, fists flying. But she underestimated the avian's physical strength. He grabbed her and threw her to the ground, anger now filling his visage. Nearby, a golf club found it's way into his hand. He thrust at the half-naked feline with the object, not wishing to severely harm her, but subdue her nonetheless. He raised and came down once, but she rolled out of the way. The second strike met a similar fate. Falco raised the club to strike again, but Katt saw her opportunity. As he stood, her toned leg extended, a foot meeting with his privates. The masculine avian doubled over in pain and groaned.

Seizing the moment, Katt wrapped both bare legs around his neck and brought him down to the ground. When she finally managed to pin him down on his frontside, she reached for a pair of handcuffs and clamped them on his wrists. She stood, tears streaming down her face. As she watched him struggle, she lost her temper completely.

"I loved you, Falco! How the hell could you do this? The town's being destroyed by you!" Her claws were fully extended from her hands and feet now as she screamed.

"Katt, I-"

"Bastard!" She yelled, accenting her words with a swift kick to the bird's side. She then sank down and they both sat in silence for several minutes, before he spoke in a soft voice, his girlfriend now lacking the energy to berate him more.

"Kitty, listen to me."

"Don't call me Kitty."

"Katherine! I don't want to be a part of this. It wasn't my choice, I got born into this lifestyle."

"Do you really think that's an excuse? I got born into one of the families just like you, Falco, and I'm a cop. I'm sorry about your parents and for everything else, but you've made a choice, and for that choice, I've got to call this in. To turn you in. You have to learn that lesson, Falco." She said calmly. Falco turned his head to look as far around toward her as he could.

"I'm not that strong, Katt. But I'm going to get out of here, out of this. Just please give me some time." He pleaded. The pink-furred cat looked up at him once more, confusion and inner conflict wringing her expression. After another silence of what seemed like hours, she walked over to the man, the traitor before her, who had twisted her for his own pleasure, who had betrayed her and made many people suffer, the man who she still loved, and she undid his handcuffs. She freed him.

Falco stood and tried to look toward Katt, but avoided her eyes and quickly turned his gaze elsewhere. As he left, she looked after him, hoping sincerely that what he said was true. Above all, she was afraid that she would never see him again.


End file.
